source : the age
When RSPCA inspectors raided a Perth property over Christmas two years ago, one little white puppy stuffed in a cage seemed to have a problem with its right eye.
It was bulging from its socket, and his jaw was askew. He was shaking and terrified when inspectors approached him.
He was later named “Santa”, and he was just one of nearly 100 dogs at the Canning Vale property who had been kept in near-torturous conditions.
Their enclosures were tiny and bare, and many dogs were malnourished and had become increasingly sick over time. Veterinarians later had to put down more than 20 as their conditions had become so bad.
Some golden retriever puppies sat with foreheads pressed against a wall, and a corgi puppy seemed to do manic circles to pass the time. Any time an inspector would come near them to offer kindness, they bolted.
Over the course of 10 days, inspectors slowly removed the dogs from the property and put them into vet care. Some would enter quarantine, while others could not be saved.
More than 20 lost their lives as a result of Jia Xu Dong’s cruelty.
Bryden Dempsey-Gaut is under no illusion Santa was one of the lucky ones.
She began foster caring for the RSPCA after volunteering to walk some of the dogs around the Malaga bush track, and falling in love with helping animals in need.
When she got the call about the Canning Vale raid, she was initially set up to take in one of Santa’s littermates but ended up with the little five-month-old white golden retriever with a bulging eye.
“He was pretty terrible,” Dempsey-Gaut said.
“He was shaking when he came out. He was wrapped in a towel and I popped him in the back of the car, and he was just shaking the whole way home.
“He came home, and he just immediately ran under the couch and shoved his head under – just hiding from everything. I had to baby gate the house so he’d have a safe space to make it a bit more comfortable for him.”
As Santa slowly came out of his shell, it became apparent he bore scars from his time at Dong’s property.
The RSPCA helped Dempsey-Gaut access veterinary care for Santa, and he had a number of his top teeth removed after vets found the cause of his bulging eye was an untreated abscess that had taken hold.
He also had a ravenous appetite after being starved at the Canning Vale facility, and was completely unused to people. He was anxious when it came to loud noises or doors closing, and distrusting of people who wanted to show him kindness.
Over time, Dempsey-Gaut’s other two dogs – another puppy farm rescue named Honey and an old gentle golden retriever named Ollie – slowly worked to teach Santa that not all people were bad.
“It was just so slow – he’d start snuggling on the couch, and he got waggier when it came to giving him his food,” she said.
“I’ve got a little boy who’s coming up on seven, and he’s very sweet with him – he lets him cuddle him and grab him – he’s a nice dog.”
When it came time for Dong to be sentenced last week, it was Dempsey-Gaut’s first time seeing the conditions Santa had been exposed to on video.
“I just can’t believe people can treat animals like that – as a commodity to make money with no concern or care for their well-being,” she said.
“It’s obviously very confronting to watch, and it just blows my mind that people can be like that. How could you be so cruel and even go overseas without leaving with them food or water?”
Dong was sentenced to nine months imprisonment last week, with Magistrate Sandra De Maio describing him as a “devious and dishonest individual”.
“He left [the animals] to suffer in appalling conditions … he [was] uncaring of their welfare and indifferent to their pain … they suffered greatly for most of their lives,” she said.
Dempsey-Gaut said while she saw Santa had been exposed to the worst of humanity during his short life, her role as a foster carer meant she could show him what it was like to be loved – so much so, she ended up adopting him.
“It’s just a really nice way to help,” Dempsey-Gaut said.
“You don’t need much room – you can just provide a bit of a safe harbour for animals to realise the world can be a safe place and to slowly learn to trust.
“And bonus, you get to have gorgeous animals around all the time. It’s a win-win, and the RSPCA are amazing. The foster care team is super supportive.”
Now, Dempsey-Gaut said, Santa loves the beach, hanging out with his two best friends, Honey and Ollie, and flashing his wonky smile.
“He’s very, very sweet,” she said.
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Hannah Murphy is a journalist with WAtoday covering breaking and general news. She previously worked for the ABC in the state’s Kimberley region.Connect via email.
